The Kansas City Star du lieu suivant : Kansas City, Missouri • 71

in, I I I I I I I I THE KANSAS CITY STAR, SUNDAY, MAY 27, 1928. '17 NY ilver paid st 18 $1-7997 2,500 iticate. thirty articulars. 107 East Street pounded Annually CEPTEDI cate, Received ON ites. St.

roof ears, able Iress 1 es or HA. 3870 cks Stocks Stocks es may be to the reers of the minimum 0. venue, Mo. with Ins. If we can c.

Vichita this unds new ny The Automatic Phone Sprang From a Collar Box EVERAL fortunes originated in the collar box device of 3 who Kansas developed City therefrom undertaker the Est automatic telephone systemIrty mon years B. ago. Strowger, But unlearned" in dietice or mechanics, profited very tle. Nearly 200 cities in the lates have installed the improved rowger system, which renders dick service without interposing possibility of error by a huan element. Several foreign govmments have adopted it.

As early 1909 an automatic exchange was laced service in Berlin. Soon terward there were installations in buth America, England, Australia ad Cuba, and now the automatic stem is used in Sydney, Melbourne, renos Aires, Winnipeg, Montreal, Emonton, Havana, Honolulu, Manila ad other foreign cities, while it 1s king installed in London, Tokio and pronto. EXASPERATION LED TO AN IDEA. There are versions of the otives that lead Strowger to in811 automatic system. One of em has it that he suspected that business suffered from a conracy between a telephone operator ad competing undertaker to report Strowger line "busy" whenever rospective patrons called.

That is so well founded, however, as the COLLARS one vouched for by Herman W. Ritterhoff, assistant general manager of the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company here, concerning the unreliability of Strowger's telephone which he attributed to telephone girls. At that time Mr. Ritterhoff employed by the old Bell Telephone Company with offices at Sixth and Wyandotte streets. One of the customers was Mr.

Strowger, whose place of business was on the north side of Ninth street, between Wall and Wyandotte streets. His telephone was the old Blake transmitter. You whirled its crank half a dozen times to call central. Mr. Strowger had more than his share of trouble with the system and all of his complaints reached Mr.

Ritterhoff. Hardly a day passed that he did not call Mr. Ritterhoff and threaten dire consequences if his telephone did not function better. Mr. Ritterhoff sent every workman to the undertaker's establishment at various times.

But none of them could remedy the trouble and Mr. Strowger's ire was increased. Finally the failure of the telephone to function on an important call caused Mr. Ritterhoff to investigate personally. Mr.

Strowger took some drawing out of a drawer in desk and assured Mr. Ritterhoff that those represented the means of taking away the jobs of all the telephone operators. With a round collar box, a pins pencil the undertaker, which had dispensed an with automatic operators. Mr. Ritterhoff was impressed with the possibilities, but his mission was to correct the existing system.

OFFERED A SHARE IN DEVELOPMENT. Investigation showed that the undertaker's telephone was impaired by a tin sign which had been placed over the telephone and replaced outside by a When the front door was opened draughts would swing the sign over the telephone, sometimes causing it to get caught in the two binding posts that stuck up above the telephone. That short circuited the telephone and it would not work until the door was opened again and another draught set the sign free. Mr. Strowger realized that he needled scientific assistance.

He offered A VISIT TO PARSONS, WHERE THEY WILL FIGHT FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. FROM THE OZARKS TE A CARNE GIG LIBRARY GIVES PARSONS ANOTHER CLAIM TO FROM CULTURE THE BORDER PAOLA To sent las Dye OSAWATOMIE JINGO I GARNETT TRADING POST PLEASANTONG (250)L WELDA LINTON (COLONY DIRT DOOD PRESCOTTA SURFACE OLD FULTON CATHOLIC IOLA CHURCH PARSONS PORT OTT Carrie Nation, the well-known RUMBOLDT ansan, had her hatchet. But (39) PAWNEE. her Kansan, Kate Bender, attained BAR LING TON degree of fame, or at any rate storiety by means of her hammer. GRARD was in wayside-inn days down at 05059 Arsons, that Kate Bender and CHERTHA A hammer-wielding family flour- PARSON DM CUNE bed.

And some of the hammers ley are said to have flourished are 11 retained in Parsons as relics. As an Important railroad center, arsons boosters today let it be own that travelers are safe, and casual visitor saunters about the Wh in a freely receptive mood for impressions which are afforded. E. Falsken, manager of the atomobile Club Kansas City, and representative of The Star recently ntured on a 2-day trip down into outheastern Kansas with Parsons as goal for the all-night step. Parsons is distinctly a railroad Wn, with its shops, meJanics, its sturdy The rowth of dairying, poultry raising general agriculture gives the on a curious blending of rustic and dustrial elements.

Saunter through railroad station, and you see the promoter from Oklahoma, the wboy, the picturesque Mexican and more picturesque senorita from border, the Indian and the grized person from the Ozarks. few years Parsons had a Eme wave, a modern bit of big-city stinction, to be sure, but the kind distinction which the city did not Ish to perpetuate. Robberies, buraries, shootings, and four mysterimurders aroused the citizens. Six uses were robbed in one night; one tim chted of a highwayman on a brightly business street was slashed gross the throat and another reEved two bullet wounds. Women children didn't venture out of urs, and motion pictures were shown The empty houses.

next day, three hundred vigiantes were organized to patrol the Beets at night and augment the police force. Forty undesirables Ere deported, and the crime wave broken in short order. And aside from opposition to the Nous things of overt violence, Parin its hectic history has displayed distinct It flair for militant righteouswas twenty ago that under the leadership of ayor L. C. Moses, led a fight against quor-selling drug stores.

Permits all but two of the town's twentydrug stores were rescinded. Perwere reissued in some cases, ter the proprietors employed new armacists, and the proprietors were ereful not to violate the law thereWith righteousness thus on the sendancy, the local W. C. T. U.

took casion to conduct a blue law camAssisted by the law and order suc, the organization obtained Mr. Ritterhoff 10,000 shares in a proposed company if he would work on the plans. The next Sunday he took his drawings to Mr. Ritterhoff's office and they were revised. The undertaker came in contact with Joseph Harris, a young commercial traveler who had imagination to recompense for his lack of technical knowledge.

Harris decided there were vast possibilities in the collar-box switch when he was delayed in a call at Carthage, by inattention of an operator. That was in 1889. A -DOLLAR LAUGH. Mr. Strowger sold out his business here and went to Chicago to put up a working model of his telephone, which had been patented.

On his invitation, Mr. Ritterhoff went there to see it in operation. The device worked to perfection. But the workmanship was ludicrous and when Mr. Strowger opened a closet door to show it to his friend, Mr.

Ritterhoff burst into at the awkwardly soldered connections. That laugh cost him a million dollars. Mr. Strowger slammed the in anger and walked away outraged. Mr.

Ritterhoff returned to Kansas City and wrote to the inventor, but his letters were unanswered. In 1891 Harris floated a company which called the Strowger Automatic Telephone Exchange, capitalized for $50,000. In making the rounds to establish manufacturing facilities they met A. E. Keith, a young engineer.

They took him into the company and to him belongs much credit for making Strowger's invention practical. A year later the first automatic exchange was established In La Porte, and the innovation began revolutionizing telephone service. The early Strowger switches complicated. It was realized that simplification was necessary. By 1902 the switch differed widely from the original, and was the prototype of those used today.

Before Mr. Ritterhoff could get to Chicago to claim his 10,000 shares, after he had heard of Strowger's success, the inventor died. Mr. Ritterhoff learned that he had been left out of the company and to this day he rues that impolite but spontaneous laugh. Automatic Electric, which manufactures the apparatus, employs 10,000 operatives in seven factories in varlous parts of the world.

Those 10,000 shares would have meant an easy million dollars to Mr. Ritterhoff. The automatic company is controlled by Theodore Gary of Kansas City. Mr. Gary acquired his interest after the company was formed.

THE WORD CLINIC. "There is something fascinating in linguist crime," says Otis Skinner. "Many of our youngsters in cultured families think it a bit unmanly to speak with care and accuracy." Mr. Skinner might have our youth follow the wonderful example of Chesterfield, who, early in life, determined not to speak one word in conversation which was not the fittest he could recall! SANS-CULOTTE: Sanz ku-lot (a as in am, as in unite, as in not). A fellow without breeches; a radical; republican--a term of contempt applied to the French revolutionists.

DOUCEUR: Doo-sur (o's as in food, as in urn). A gift for service done or to be done; an a present, somtimes a ho bribe. from dour, sweet). TANTAMOUNT: Tan-ta-mount (a as in am, a as in ask). Having equal or equivalent value, effect or port.

"A general rise or a general fall of price is merely tantamount to an alteration in the value of money." SACHEM: Sa-chem (a as in aim, as in end). A chief of some tribe of American Indians; one of the offigoverning council of the CRamming Society in the city of New York. "Governor Smith is installed as a Tammany sachem. headline. ESPERANTO: Es-pe-ran-to (e's as in end, a as in arm, as in old).

An artificial language, intended to be universal, devised by a Russian who adopted the pseudonym, "Dr. Esperanto." The spelling is phonetic, and the accent is always on the penult. "If it be true that 'money talks'-the American dollar is the world's esperanto," says local banker. ATLANTES: At-lan-tez (a's as in am, 8 as in each). Figures or half figures of men, used as columns or pilasters to support an entablature.

(Greek.) ASSERVATION: A-sev-er-a-shun (a 88 in am, as in end, as in her, as in aim, as in under). A solemn affirmation or declaration, as open oath. (L.) his side, was satisfied, and decelved, by their solemn asservation." -Gibbon. MYRMIDONS: Mur-mi-don (u as in urn, 1 as in pin, as in old). One of a war-like people represented as followers of Achilles in the Trojan war; a soldier or subordinate civil officer who, without protest or pity, executes the orders of his superior.

"Go home to thy ships and company and lord it among thy myrmidons." PATRILINEAL: Pa-tri-lin-e-al (a as in am, i's as in pin, as in society, a as in account). Relating to descent through the male line, that is, through the father and the paternal ancestors- contrasted with matrilineal." CADENZA: Ka-dent-sa (a as in sofa, as in end, a as in soft). In music, a parenthetical flourish or flight ornament in the course of an aria. (Italian.) UNCONSCIONABLE: Un-kon-shun-a-bl (u as in up, as in odd, as in circus, a as in glass). Going beyond the bounds of what is customary or reasonable; not guided or controlled by conscience- extravagant.

"There is nothing about which old soldiers spin such unscionable yarns as about the size of the armies they have thrashed." Fiske. GAUTIER: Go-tya (o as in old, a as in aim). Theophile Gautier was a French poet, novelist and critic. (1811-1872.) CONTUMELIOUS: Kon-tu-me-l1-us (0 as in odd, as in unite, as in each, 1 as in pin, as in circus). Haughtily contemptuous or offensive; disdainful.

(L.) "Curving 8 contumelous lip." -Tennyson. THE WORD DOCTOR. Flour to Eighty Countries. Washington-(A. every country in the world bought American flour last year, the department of commerce says, 12,826,000 barrels being shipped to eighty countries and territories.

The Netherlands was the largest buyer, with China second. China is regarded as a promising market, its purchases increasing steadily, A CRITIC HAS A BAD WEEK (Continued from Page 14 in the opera house of my native hamlet, Cadiz, O. The play had an especial influence upon my subsequent conduct, because one of the most poignant characters was Willie Hammond, the dissipated son and heir of Squire Hammond, the rich nabob of the neighborhood. MORGAN'S BABE A GROWN 1 WOMAN. Willie, at heart nice boy, was ruined by rum and evil comrades, and he came to a bad end in Simon Slade's suburban saloon.

Joe Morgan, the village sot, having signed 1 the pledge of total abstinence, became the prosperous superintendent of the 1 local tannery. In the season now expiring have had some honest thrills from "Strange Interlude," "Coquette," "The Three Musketeers," "Show Boat" and "Manhattan Mary." But my only tears were shed the other night as I listened to Joe Morgan's babe, a mature lady with big legs and long curls singing Father, dear father, come home with me now, 'The clock in the steeple strikes one! The advertisements say "Ten Nights in a Barroom," as revived at Wallack's theater, has become a rendezvous for the trivial deep-thinkers who inhabit New York and its tributaries. The elegant dinner parties of Park avenue, the Bronx and Washington Square hasten, after a hurried meal, to Miss Mae West in "Diamond Lil" or Miss Kathleen Kirkwood in "Ten Nights in a Barroom." The only objection have to Miss Kirkwood's revival of an old masterpiece is that its acting is unintelligent. A troupe of county-fair hams tries to spoof an ancient play, with the result it makes them and it silly. AND W.

C. FIELDS CHEWED GUM. It was my so-called privilege to see Miss Judith Anderson, one of our numerous First Actresses, pretending to be in love with Lou Tellegen in a foreign show called "Anna." He was a conventional sculptor, and she, the daughter of a business inan, was proud of her shape. So she took off her clothing and posed before him, incognito, thereby gaining his amorous regard. He thought she was merely an impoverished model, though really she was the owner of many stocks and bonds.

Therefore, after the traditional misunderstandings, they kissed as the curtain fell on just another of those things. Although I sat in the second row upon an aisle seat which had cost 1 me nothing, I regarded the investment as unprofitable. Those who pay expensive prices for chairs in "Anna" will, no doubt, find their expenditure worth while. I almost forgot to tell you that William C. Fields, the notable histrion, chewed chewing gum through "Get Me in the Movies," as did his otherwise comely lady companion.

And that Tom Mix, responding to no demand whatever, made a speech on the ALL ROADS LEAD TO KANSAS CITY NEXT MONTH. OLYMPIA PORTLAND N. DA K. JAUGUSTA SALEM N. BISMARCK CORD N.

ST. PAUL ALBANY. BOISE ZINNE-O0 PIERRE APOLIS HARTFORD O. PROVIDENCE POCATELLO MICH FALLS MADISON ILANSING NAVES CASPER SALT CITY CITE MOINES DES HARRISBURG OTRENTON LAKE D. OH BURG ANLADELPHIA TO CITY OCHEYENNE CARSON INDIAN.

ODOVER I SACRAMENTO DENVER ON OFIELD COLUMBUS w. WASHINGTON LINCOLN SPRING ANNAPOUS-18 FRANCISCO TOPEXA CITY cola 13 Louis CHARLESTON RICHMOND JEFFERSON OUTS VILLE FRANK CITY 20 MAERSFIELD RALEIGH SANTA FE OK 20 ASHEVILLE N. C. LAS ANGELES, BERNARDINOS OKLAHOMA AL DUQUERQUE CITY PHOENIX LITTLE ROCK 0 A. 16 CHARLESTON O.

MONTGOMERY JACK.SON PACO TALLAHASSEE BATON ROUGE AUSTIN Many delegates and others attending, the Republican national convention will travel to Kansas City by motor car. This map, prepared for the American Automobile Association, the most direct routes from each of the state capitals, together with the number of votes allotted to each state in the convention. Other important connecting highways are not shown. opening night, satirically complimenting himself and others. THE CURTH PLAYERS' PROGRAM.

The Eddie Kuhn Unit on Kansas City Athletic Club Roof Tonight. The Curth Players, an Eddie Kuhn unit with Glessner Curth directing, will play the following on the Kansas City Athletic Club roof tonight: "Marche "Reveil Lorraine" Ganne Waltz. du Scassola Selection from "Apple Blossoms" Kreisler "Serenade" Drigo Selection from "High Frimi "Reconciliation Polka" Drigo A Dream" Bartlett 'Amina' BRIGHT MOTOR CAR OUTLOOK. Slight Decrease in the Past Week, With Sales Still Above Normal. DETROIT, May the past few weeks the motor car industry has maintained a better than normal condition for this time of year and manufacturers and dealers are of the opinion that sales throughout June will be good for most cars.

Some manufacturers who were expected to announce new lines before the first of June have deferred doing so because of the steady demand for and cars now in the hands of their dealers. Some of announcements, it is in officially stated, will be withheld until next fall, and, in at least one case, until next January, during the annual automobile show. This will be a line of cars that is being changed to 8-cylinder types from sixes. Other producers say the present demand makes it impossible to close down their plants to change models. Truck and bus output continues to show a slow but steady increase.

This is particularly noticeable in the light commercial vehicles. Employment in the various automobile factories and accessories shops has shown an increase every week since January. The total now is 030, an increase for the week of 523 and an increase over the corresponding week of 1927 of 32,466. Ford output continues small compared with the plant facilities. Dealers are getting a fraction of their factory orders.

There is no question that other producers in the low price field are reaping a harvest because of the delay in Ford mass production. Official announcement says Ford orders on hand are approximately 1 million and that the daily output 1s 2,300. This, with orders still being received in large numbers, means a long time before the demand will be satisfied. Some Convenient Exits. There are many ways of shirking responsibility.

There are escape by death, escape by sickness, and finally escape by stupidity. The last is the least dangerous and the most convenient, for even clever people will not as a rule find it so remote as they would prefer to imagine. Quality Seat Factory Overs 50 Perfect Fit Two Piss Finest Quality 4 Fast Colors Coupe and Light Dark Tan Tan Roadster Gray Perfect protection against dirt Light Gray of upholstery- doubles, life of and wear. Improves appearance All Other 1 95 cushions. Protects clothes.

Quality material Seat Covers of finest seat cover Models -carefully cut and best made. Complete ready to put on. with no cutting be cleaned perfectly. Strong, rich looking, address. year or fitting.

Covers can be reversed. Can Send No Money, -Give name, long life. Better material than most stores and model of car (coupe, c. cosch of sell for $10.00 to $15.00. Satisfaction sedan and we will ship o.

D. at guaranteed or money returned. above bargain prices. plus postage. QUALITY SALES Dept.

14. 515 S. Dearborn Chicago, Ill. warrants for theater men who operated on Sunday. As an example of how the powers of iniquity sometimes gain an advantage, some of the theater men purchased flowers on Sunday at a greenhouse conducted by the local president of the W.

0.7 U. and state president of the W. R. C. With this evidence, they threatened to retaliate kind, situation was somewhat embarrassing for righteousness.

Before Volstead made the thing official, the Moose Club at Parsons ousted the bar and put in a soda fountain, and demonstrated they could prosper better than formerly. The Parsons Men's Associated Bible Classes have been known to select candidates for mayor and commisstoners for the primaries, and influence is something to be reckoned with. The election of Alfred Coad, the boilermaker, as mayor to supplant Peter Foley, who was made defendant in an ouster suit brought by Attorney General Hopkins, is can instance where the people themselves overrode 8 supreme court decision which "whitewashed" Foley's administration. We see this frontier railroad town as an impersonation of the rugged, working six-shooter westerner who packs mainte- a ready for the nance of law and order and practices a puritanical decorum. Before the radio took singing from the masses and made the multitude listeners to the few, a wave of community singing, which had its inception in Kansas, swept the countryand incidentally, no doubt, had much to do with preparing the way for the popularity of the radio.

Arthur Nevin, as head of the musical extension work of the University of Kansas, seems to have been responsible for the country-wide popularity of song. Parsons was the first Kansas town that Professor Nevin transformed into a music center. From this little frontier town a gentle ideal went forth which conquered. Parsons, the rough-and-ready defender of law and order, Parsons the militant, the righteous, is a singing warrior. And as for the castles which Parsons has managed to attain in its career of idealism through storm and strife, any booster will point with pride to the Carnegie library, the $175,000 municipal building and auditorium and the high school.

A real estate PROVED BY A an man looks Oldsmobile at MILLION MILES "Undoubtedly I am unressonable in my said this real estate 1 man when he came in. "I want the performance, comfort and appearance of an car- and I want the fine quality of materials and construction that will make these advantages lasting. Yet I don't want to invest a lot of money." When informed that the two door sedan sold for $925 f. o. b.

Lansing he lifted his eyebrows. he said, "nice lines. What kind of body Before the new Oldsmobile was pre- rugged power quietness combined sented to the public more than a with case of operationmillion miles of testing were put behind it. For two years it was thread- -All in a six whose stamina is a mating the traffic of street and highway ter of engineering record! running the gauntlet of exacting Naturally, it has emphasized the bril- construction," he tests on the General Motors Proving liant styling achievement was informed. "Selected Ground 1,177,000 miles of wearing, in the new Oldsmobile-Fisher bodies.

hardwood and steel represented Naturally, it has caused amazement "Yes, I know," he intertearing use! As a result, the new Oldsmobile brings that a car of so many basic superiorities rupted. "I've read Fisher to buyers those fine car could offer in addition so advertising and know what qualities which have in TWO-DOOR SEDAN many items of equipment. that the past been available Find out for yourself the In a few minutes he only at higher prices- $925 for the the wheel of an Oldsmobile was at reasons new vogue -high speed combined that has caused thousands headed toward one of his with true J. b. Lansing and thousands of buyers to subdivisions.

The road was smoothness combined with Excise tax extra. and spare tire choose the new Oldsmobile. far from good. "I have never ridden in a more comfortable car," he exclaimed. "I thought that only the biggest cars could ride like this." OLDSMOBILE PRODUCT OF GENERAL MOTORS When he was told that a set of four Lovejoy hydraulic shock absorbers came with KING MOTOR CO.

TAFT MOTOR CO. the ment, car he as was quite standard surprised. equip1524-26 McGee St. 3513-15 Broadway Returning through traffic he tucked the car into a scant Kansas City, Mo. Kansas City, Mo.

parking space at the curb, stepped out and said, "I never thought I'd find itFELTER MOTOR CO. but I have. This car meets every requirement I need and 907 N. 5th Street, Kansas City, Kas. want.

I'm sold!" Come take that drive today, THE FINE CAR LOw PRICE.